TNO - Season 1: Desperate Measures Call for Desperate Times

The priest continued to tend to Jason's wound, but he waited to see if Jason was going to respond to Paul's question about the shards.

"Did you find out anything that might tell you what that was all about down there," he asked? "Who were they? They most certainly were, uhm, very talented to say the least.

"Talented would be one word for it." Jason replied. "I don't know much more than the rest of you about what happened, but I did find this card that those weirdos left after attacking me." He put the card in front of the group so everyone could see it. "Anybody have any idea what this might mean?"

Michael shook his head no. He'd never seen anything like it.

"Hmm," came the sound from Father Charles as he finished tending to Jason. "Let me see that." He examined the card for a moment before placing it back on the table. "I have seen that before. I'll be right back."

The priest left the kitchen and returned a moment later with a large book in his arms. He set the book down and opened it to a section where he began to leaf through pages until he stopped."There," he continued. "I knew I had seen it before."

Father Charles pointed to the page where they all saw the same image that was on the card. Under the image on the page was various bits of information.

Ogoun was originally associated with fire, blacksmithing and metalworking. His focus has transformed over the years to include power, warriors, and politics. He particularly likes the machete, which is a common offering in preparation of a possession, and machetes are sometimes featured in his veves.

Ogoun is protective and triumphant. Many credit him with planting the seeds of revolution into the minds of Haitian slaves in 1804.

Each of the many aspects of Ogoun have their own personalities and talents. One is associated with healing and is seen as a combat medic, another is a thinker, strategist and diplomat, and many are machete-swinging warriors.

"It's a voodoo veve," the priest said. "A veve is a voodoo symbol. That would certainly explain their garb as well."

Paul rolled his eyes. "Voodoo?!" he exclaimed, incredulously. "Really? Voodoo?".

He shook his head and added, "What next - zombies?"

To himself, he muttered, "Followed by intelligent apes, giant robots and evil doppelgangers, I bet". All of them were familiar comicbook cliches to Paul.

He then turned to Jason and the others.

"Why the hell did they attack you? Did they say anything?"

Michael interrupted Paul's question, standing as he did it."Wait! You're telling me all of this weird crap that's been going on, the powers, the solstice guy, the attack just now... is all because of Voodoo?! We're cursed or something? Great, I move to New Orleans and get cursed with magic I don't believe in. Just. Great."

The priest shook his head.

"No," he replied. "I don't think these displays of ability are because of voodoo, but someone else might," the priest said with a glance to the back. "Evan, it is best that Lanie not hear of this. She is already fragile enough and feels she is cursed. I am going to take her away from all of this tomorrow."

"So what are the rest of us going to do?" Jason asked. Even though he still knew next to nothing about these people, he felt safer with them than without them.

Paul shrugged. "I don't know" he said, scratching his head. "I'm just glad to find others with strange powers and confirm that I'm not going crazy".

He half-smiled, thought for a moment more, then clenched his fist.

"Goddamn it! We could do with knowing why those voodoo hoodlums attacked you. Was it because they knew you had powers? Or was it just some random mugging?".

Paul was way out of his depth here. Working on an IT helpdesk did not prepare oneself for superpowered conflicts.

"Maybe if we at least exchanged contact details? Then if one of us was attacked again, or was involved in some weird situation, we could get help?"

Michael nodded in agreement with Paul. "I'd be willing to trade phone numbers, just to stay safe."

GM OOC: Closing this out in preparation for the reboot. Things will be pushed a little bit forward while keeping some of the core in place. I am still waiting on Foreigner to check in and respond to the reboot discussions. Also waiting on Shade to check in. Whiteprofit, please let me know if you speak to him and he is continuing. Looking for a couple more players if you know of anyone interested.